Best Bike Bling at the Tour de France

Jul 17, 2012

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Vacansoleil’s Gold KMC X11SL-TI Chain

As if the Dutch team’s Bianchi Superleggera Oltres weren’t eye catching enough, Vacansoleil mechanics installed gold-plated KMC chain on all team bikes. Despite being one of the lightest chains available, at 228 grams, that gold titanium nitride coating boosts chain life and reliability.

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Jens Voigt by the Numbers

Trek wanted to honor fan-favorite and all-around hardman Jens Voigt with a graphic ode to his long and illustrious career. The top tube of his Madone 7 makes note that the most important statistic for the 40 year old racer is that there’s only one Jens.

Big George hasn’t put in many miles on his gold and black BMC TeamMachine SLR01, which commemorates his record-breaking 17th Tour de France, but this birthday present from team owner Andy Riis still follows him on a BMC support car.

American Classic may seem like an unlikely sponsor for such a French team, but these anodized hubs, matched to their fire-engine red Look bikes, grace the squad’s AC Carbon Tubular 38 wheetsets.

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Michele Scarponi’s Blaze Yellow Wilier Zero.7

Scarponi rode his black and yellow Wilier to fourth in the Giro d’Italia, but at the start of Stage 13 to Cap d’Adge the Italian replaced this usual, low-profile climbing wheels with this neon green Fulcrum Racing Speed XLR set.

The Basque rider’s reign as Olympic champ may soon end, but he brandished his gold bar tape and color-coordinated frame, saddles, and seat collar once again at the Tour. Unfortunately, a crash on Stage 8 sent him home with a severe contusions to his collarbone, a dislocated shoulder, and a broken hand, putting his Olympic hopes in serious doubt.

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